Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Susan has worked in a number of posts both in the UK and in Latin America. These have capitalised on clinical and research expertise related to speech, language and communication, particularly with children and adults with neuro-developmental disabilities. After spending seven years in Bolivia working in clinical and research roles, she held a lecturer post at Manchester Metropolitan University before taking up a job at the University of East Anglia. Here she completed her PhD and led as Course Director on the speech and language therapy programme. In 2019, Susan joined the School of Health Sciences at Dundee University where she continues to carry out research related to communication and health with marginalised populations.
Research
Susan’s main focus in research lies in building capacity for improved health and well-being through optimising language and communication with children and adults with neuro-developmental disabilities (intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, autistic spectrum conditions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Deafness and hearing impairment).
Her work incorporates relevant areas related to health literacy and health communication, alternative and augmentative communication (AAC), working with families of children with profound and multiple intellectual disabilities, living with disabilities in developing countries, evaluation of services for people with communication disabilities (Latin America and UK) and other marginalised groups.
Susan uses both quantitative and qualitative approaches, and mixed methods involving experimental designs alongside linguistic analysis and linguistic discourse analysis. She has experience of implementing observational studies, surveys, focus groups and interviews with people who have communication disabilities. She has also run participatory action research in developing country contexts.
Current projects include:
National Institute of Health Research (NIHR): No research about us, without us! Removing research barriers for people with learning disabilities:
PI Dr Amy Russell, University of Leeds in partnership with East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation, Cardiff University, National Development Team for Inclusion, Learning Disability England, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, University College London, Glasgow University
April 2023 – June 2025: £139,668.64
NIHR: Digital Health Participation of People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Longitudinal Modelling and Digital Diary Study,
PI Professor Darren Chadwick, Liverpool John Moore’s University, Co-Investigators: Professor Peter Langdon, Warwick University and colleagues from Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Kent, Gloucester University, Dudley Voices for Choice, Advocating Together Dundee, East Kent MENCAP and Manchester People First.
May 2023- Sept 2026: £908,189
Economic and Social Research Council: Intersectional Perspectives for Community Inclusion: Understanding the Past, Shaping the Future with Older Marginalised People with Intellectual Disabilities and LGBT+People (joint with University of Wolverhampton, University of Hertfordshire and University of Edinburgh), Sixsmith, J., Buell, S., Fang, M., Levy, S.& Smith, M.
Sept 2022 – Dec 2025: £1,725,930
Scottish Graduate School of Social Science: My Baby, My Choice: Experiences Of Mothers With Intellectual Disabilities And Their Infant Feeding Choices. McFadden, A. & Buell, S.,
Supervisor led stream, PhD funding Oct 2020 - 3+1 years: £93,412.00
Institute for Social Sciences Research (ISSR): Reading for Fun Project, Interdisciplinary Incubator Grant Funding, (PI Buell, S., Co-Investigators: Beckenbridge, J., Jindal-Snape, D., Nabizadeh, G.)
January 2020 – January 2021: £3000.00
Teaching
Susan currently teaches on research methods modules and is leading the integration and implementation of aspects of communication in health and intellectual disability across the nursing programmes.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy
External positions
External Examiner, Trinity College Dublin
1 Sept 2019 → 31 Aug 2023
External Examiner, Queen Margaret University
1 Sept 2017 → 31 Aug 2021
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Digital Health Participation of People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Longitudinal Modelling and Digital Diary Study (Joint with Unviversities Liverpool John Moores, Warwick, Manchester Metropolitan, Kent, Gloucestershire and Birmingham City)
Buell, S. (Investigator)
1/05/23 → 31/12/25
Project: Research
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Intersectional Perspectives For Community Inclusion: Understanding The Past, Shaping The Future With Older Marginalised IDD And LGBT+People (Joint with University of Wolverhampton, University of Hertfordshire and University of Edinburgh)
Breckenridge, J. (Investigator), Buell, S. (Investigator), Fang, M. (Investigator), Levy, S. (Investigator), Makita, M. (Investigator), Sixsmith, J. (Investigator) & Smith, M. (Investigator)
5/09/22 → 4/01/26
Project: Research
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My Baby, My Choice: Experiences Of Mothers With Intellectual Disabilities And Their Infant Feeding Choices
Buell, S. (Investigator) & McFadden, A. (Investigator)
Project: Research
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No Research about us without us! Removing Research Barriers for People with Learning Disabilities (Joint With University of Leeds and Cardiff University)
Buell, S. (Investigator)
1/06/23 → 30/11/24
Project: Research
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A Systematic Review of Research on Staff Training as an Intervention to Develop Communication in Children and Adults with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities
Buell, S. (Lead / Corresponding author), Ware, J., Chadwick, D. D., Bradshaw, J. & Goldbart, J., Mar 2024, In: Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. 37, 2, 31 p., e13201.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Citations (Scopus)139 Downloads (Pure) -
Easy read health information for people with intellectual disabilities: a linguistic discourse analysis. What happens to language when it is simplified?
Buell, S. (Lead / Corresponding author), Pounds, G., Bunning, K. & Langdon, P., Nov 2024, In: Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. 37, 6, e13293.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile34 Downloads (Pure) -
Feeding an infant with Down syndrome: mothers' experiences of support from NHS and charities
Mitchell, V. (Lead / Corresponding author), McFadden, A. & Buell, S., Sept 2024, In: MIDIRS Midwifery Digest. 34, 3, p. 248-253 6 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Paving the way for more inclusive research: Better practice research with disabled people and people with long-term conditions
Magenta research team, Buell, S. (Research group member) & Chadwick, D. D. (Research group member), Jul 2024, Magenta Research Ltd. 45 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report
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Exploring understanding: how do speech and language therapists think about understanding?
Buell, S., Bunning, K. & Grove, N., 1 Dec 2023, In Focus Magazine 3 p.Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article
Prizes
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Reading for Fun: creating opportunities for people with learning disabilities to read for enjoyment and wellbeing. ISSR Incubator Grant. £1837.51
Buell, S. (Recipient), Breckenridge, J. (Recipient), Nabizadeh, G. (Recipient) & Jindal-Snape, D. (Recipient), 13 Dec 2019
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Offcom Designing Best Practice Guidelines
Buell, S. (Consultant)
24 Jan 2024 → 31 Mar 2024Activity: Consultancy types › Consultancy
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International Association for the Scientific Study of intellectual and developmental Disabilities 17th world conference
Sixsmith, J. (Participant), Buell, S. (Participant) & Tai, J. (Participant)
6 Aug 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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27th Nordic Congress on gerontology annual conference 2024
Sixsmith, J. (Participant), Buell, S. (Participant), Tai, J. (Participant) & Fang, M. (Participant)
13 Jun 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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NHS Research Scotland (NRS) and Chief Scientist Office (CSO) Patient and Public Involvement Event
Sixsmith, J. (Participant), Tai, J. (Participant), Buell, S. (Participant) & Chadwick, D. D. (Participant)
11 Mar 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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20th Seattle Club Conference
Buell, S. (Participant)
7 Dec 2023 → 8 Dec 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference